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WIN 2014

Spirit of Women magazine is a national publication presented to women by hospitals and their physicians. The magazine provides up-to-date, evidence-based healthcare information and promotes our hospitals as leaders in women's health excellence.

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S H A R I N G
H E A L T H
S E C R E T S
Secrets
Sharing
Q:
A:
SHUTTERSTOCK
Q:
A:
HEALTH
I've heard that some movie stars
swear by olive oil as a moisturizer.
What's so special about it?
No less than Sophia Loren, one of the most
va-voom celebs of all time, has attributed part
of her lifelong loveliness to occasionally bathing
in olive oil. And there is some science behind
the olive oil hype, says Carol Firenze, author of
"The Passionate Olive—101 Things to Do with
Olive Oil" (Ballantine Books, 2005) and owner
of The Passionate Olive store.
"Among all the natural lipids, olive oil has
the most similar chemical composition to human
sebum [the body's own natural skin lubricant],"
she says. "Olive oil is an antioxidant … and it
also contains squalene, a natural organic compound that improves elasticity, vitality and skin
tone, and protects the skin from dehydration."
What kinds of beauty treatments
can I do with olive oil?
You can use olive oil anywhere your body
needs more moisture—face, skin, hair, lips,
nails. It may take a little longer to absorb than
a lighter commercial lotion, but the olive
oil will also penetrate deeply to do its
work. Try olive oil as a shaving lubricant, deep conditioner for hair,
cuticle softener, lip plumper, eye
makeup remover and, of course,
as an everyday skin
moisturizer. Firenze
also suggests mixing
one-half cup of olive
oil with a teaspoon
or more of coarse sea salt
for an instant face scrub.
The real truth
about olive oil and
beauty treatments
Q:
A:
Q:
A:
Does it matter what kind of olive
oil I use?
Extra virgin olive oil is best because it has the
largest amount of vitamin E and has not been
refned with chemicals, advises Firenze.
Is there anything else nonedible
that I can do with olive oil?
People have been fnding new uses for olive
oil for the past 8,000 years—in fact, it has
only been considered an edible oil since about
1000 B.C. You can also use it to help reduce
the appearance of stretch marks and acne
scars. It's a perfect massage oil, and mixed
with your self-tanning lotion, it will
make for a smoother application to prevent streaks. Or, just
follow Sophia Loren's lead
and add a few tablespoons of
olive oil to your bath water for
a natural whole-body moisturizing effect.
To send a health question to "Sharing Health Secrets," please e-mail
plawrence@spiritofwomen.com or write to Sharing Health Secrets, Spirit of
Women, 2424 North Federal Highway, Suite 100, Boca Raton, FL 33431.
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